The Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs will receive public comments on the project for 30 days, and will then decide, within ten days, if further MEPA review is required. A site visit and consultation session on the project is also scheduled for early February.

All persons wishing to comment on the project, or to be notified of a site visit or consultation session, should write to the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, Attention: MEPA Office, referencing the above project. By: Michael Trepanier, MassDOT.

Project Description:

The purpose of the project is to address the existing and worsening structural, operational, and safety needs of the two bridges and their Route 16 approaches and enhance multimodal transportation options on Route 16, while minimizing impacts to the historic and environmental resources in the project area. A uniform roadway cross-section will improve vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian movement and safety along the project corridor.

The widened shoulders and sidewalks will create continuity and improve safety on a major section of the Revere Beach Parkway that connects dense residential areas with Wellington Station and the major retail location of Gateway Center accessed from Santilli Circle. This action is consistent with MassDOT's Green DOT Policy, as it encourages bicycle and pedestrian travel, encourages transportation mode shift, and connects Wellington Station to the surrounding residential and office areas in an improved manner.

The existing typical cross-section in the project area consists of three 11-foot travel lanes, a 2-foot inside shoulder, a 2-foot outside shoulder and a 6-foot sidewalk on each side. These elements are separated by a 4-foot raised median with guardrail. In some locations there is an additional substandard acceleration and/or deceleration lane of 11-foot width.

It is proposed to widen the cross-section at the existing bridges and approaches to a total width of 126 feet consisting of three 11-foot travel lanes, an 11-foot auxiliary (acceleration or deceleration) lane, a 6-foot outer shoulder/bike lane, a 2-foot inner shoulder and a 10-foot sidewalk on each side. A 2-foot F-Shape (Jersey) barrier will separate opposing traffic.

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